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You will have
four main assignments
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·
weekly responses based on study questions and web
resources, including one on an issue of canon formation: The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or Uncle Tom's Cabin?
·
A “footnote” presentation on the historical/cultural
background of our texts
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·
quizzes on the historical sections in our
anthology
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·
a final paper/exam where you trace a theme in American
literature in the context of earlier literary periods, themes,
styles, subject matter.
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Weekly
Response
-- Students will write weekly
response entries.
These responses should be informal contemplations that nonetheless
demonstrate an active engagement with the literature. These weekly
entries should be about a page (300 wrds), in
length composed in response to a particular focus question(s) that will
be posted on D2L. You will do 10
of these but there will be 11 response questions, so you can opt out of
one. But if you do all, they will count as extra credit (you can’t opt
out of the question on Twain).
Purpose: Writing a response log on the
readings should help to enrich your understanding and strengthen your
powers of verbal expression. The best aspect of keeping a journal is that
it supports your personal and intellectual growth. It also verifies that
you've done the reading and thought about it.
Focus
Questions -- The
questions will pose questions about the reading and may provide links to
Library or Web resources. The questions help provide a focus for your
response. Entries that ignore questions may receive little or no credit.
In general, we will ask these broad study questions
when we discuss the works, though there will be more specific ones for
each week.
Content of
Entries -- You
are expected to work toward three objectives: (1) Respond to a particular
study question. (2) Show your knowledge of the reading, from beginning to
end, both in large concepts and specific details. (3) Provide a point of
view about the reading that contributes to our class discussion. You are working
to turn a mix of facts, ideas, and opinions into a crisp, coherent
statement. Your weekly response is a series of snapshots about what you
are thinking and learning.
Your
entries need not be a polished final product. The prose should be
informal but clear (please spellcheck and proofread) and could be
considered the level of discourse you might expect in a good letter or
memo from a colleague at work. It should be writing however and not
"chat" (as in a chat room), because this kind of writing/speech
can be slangy, disconnected, and simplistic in vocabulary. Please observe
the conventions of American Standard Edited English.
Criteria
for assessment -- Each
response will be graded according to how successfully it: 1) exhibits a
clear point of view about the reading that opens up discussion of key
issues raised by the text; 2) uses specific
evidence to support that view (along with MLA internal notation--that
means page numbers); 3) uses clear writing (I won't be a stickler for
grammar in the responses, but please use capital letters and other
conventions of non-email English). 3 pts. each.
Footnote -- You will also be asked to
write and briefly present a short presentation (1-2 pages, or several
pages if slides) on an extended "footnote" from one of the
texts (your choice of footnote does not have to come from one of theirs).
Unlike the short notes in the book, these footnotes would extend and
clarify obscure historical details and will require some library or
internet research (you must document your sources per MLA). Your
footnote will explicate necessary background material, historical
references or literary allusions made by one of the writers that may be
important in understanding the particular work. For example, if Thoreau
refers to the Fugitive Slave laws, you should provide the relevant
historical background and the context that Thoreau discusses them. You
should also interpret why the particular reference is important to
understanding Thoreau's piece. You may elect to do these footnotes in
pairs (possibly threes), or alone. Prepare something that can be viewed
by the class on the screen (PowerPoint, web page) though you will also
hand something in to your instructor (your notes pages, for
comment). We will sign up for these early in the semester. If you
wish, please talk with me about your choice and the topic you wish to
present. Sample
on Benjamin Franklin's "The Autobiography." See also these guidelines
for the "footnote" presentation. Footnotes cannot be
made up--you must be present on the day you are scheduled to
present.
Quizzes -- Since this is a class in
American Literary History, one of our goals is to become knowledgeable of
some of the key terms and movements that span American literature. You will be asked to read
historical/introductory sections in our anthology. Quizzes should not
present a problem to those who keep up with the reading and they may be
open book (or screen). If so, they will be timed. Since they are
pre-announced and on the schedule, they can only
be made up for documented emergencies.
Exam
-- Most likely, I will ask you to define some key “isms” and discuss at
least one text that is representative of that period.
Policies
Presence,
Preparation, and Participation -- English courses are not lecture
courses; they are reading and writing courses that require your
consistent and active engagement. As such, they often have a de facto
attendance policy, as this one does. You can't earn high marks in this
process if you aren't present, prepared, and participating. Your
instructor and your classmates expect you to attend regularly and prepare
thoughtfully for each class session. Complete the assignments prior to
our meeting and come to class ready to work, share, and listen. If you
miss five days of class (for whatever reason), your grade will be affected and you should consider withdrawing from the
course). If you miss eight (again, for whatever reason), you will
have missed so much in terms of daily work and instruction that you will unconditionally
fail the course. Persons missing one class or none will receive extra
credit. Lateness and coming to class without a book will count as ½
absence. Also, please take care of business before class so you don’t
have to get up in the middle of class. We will likely take a 5-10 minute break.
Electronics –- Please place your phone
somewhere other than on top of your desk (or your lap). Also, there is no
need to have a laptop during class as we will be discussing the reading.
Viewing a phone during class will distract your classmates and instructor
and harm your PPP grade.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism — The University Affairs Council has
asked all faculty to include the following statement in our course
policies:
"By accepting admission to Radford
University, each student makes a commitment to understand, support, and
abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception.
Violations of academic integrity will not be tolerated. This class will
be conducted in strict observance of the Honor Code. Please refer to your
Student Handbook for details."
Plagiarism, or the use of work by
another person, or the use of someone else's words, ideas or arrangement
of ideas without giving proper reference to the author, is a serious
violation of the Honor Code. You must give credit to other people's ideas
and words, even if you put the idea in your own words (even if you
paraphrase it). You must also provide full and correct documentation of
the exact location of any sources that helped you, including Web or
electronic resources. Plagiarism will result in an "F" for the
course and the institution of formal disciplinary procedures.
Accommodations — If you are seeking classroom
accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you are
required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO). The
DRO is located in the Center for Counseling and Student Development on
the lower level of Tyler Hall, and can be reached at 831-6350. To receive
academic accommodations, please obtain the DRO forms and then meet with
your instructor.
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Grading
Note:
Grading is not a mathematical science; I will consider effort, and
sincere, constructive
class
participation may raise your grade.
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Requirements
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Pts
possible / earned
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Weekly
Response (10 responses, 3 pts each.
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30
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PPPs
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20
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Footnote
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10
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Quizzes
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30
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Exam
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20
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Total
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110
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At any point on the course, you can check your progress toward the
grade you want to earn by totaling the points you’ve earned and
dividing that by the total number of points possible. If you ever
have a question about your standing in the course or the grade on an
assignment, come by my office, call or e-mail me, and let’s discuss
it.
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